A safe and sustainable Blue Economy relies on protecting this environment, and with this challenge comes the promise of great opportunity. If the Blue Economy represents a pivotal opportunity to balance economic growth with ocean and coastal health, reliable, accurate, and regular marine geospatial data serves as its digital backbone. HydroSurv, a UK-based provider of uncrewed surface vessel (USV) technology, is establishing an instrumental role in democratizing robotics and autonomous systems to make them accessible across the marine data collection pipeline.
Uncrewed Systems
The utility of uncrewed vessels as a safe and efficient alternative to larger conventionally crewed vessels has been well-studied and publicized. They promise reduced costs, a lower carbon footprint, and the ability to centralize operations from shore-based operational command centers. This has led to USV trial and adoption across various sectors, where some of the greatest advantages lie in the ability to force-multiply uncrewed platforms, either alongside conventional crewed vessels or by deploying multiple uncrewed platforms simultaneously on a survey task, hence creating an efficient division of labor.
Furthermore, by scaling the deployment of small and medium- sized uncrewed platforms, the unit economics of persistent surveillance or observation can be significantly reduced—a truth gaining increasing recognition in maritime security to detect potential threats to vital coastal and offshore infrastructure.
Despite the disruptive potential of increasingly autonomous USVs, infield integration remains in its infancy, with deployment concentrated among just a handful of manufacturers and operators. HydroSurv’s mission is to drive USV acceptance by removing barriers to incorporating USVs into a range of projects. The company’s range of battery-electric and battery-hybrid platforms includes developing a variety of acquisition options, including conventional purchase, shared ownership, leasing, and rental, offering survey contractors and service operators flexibility and convenience.
Innovation for Ocean Stewardship
Since entering the uncrewed vessel space six years ago, HydroSurv has delivered over 88 projects and has 24 vessels deployed across the UK, Europe, North America, Asia, and Africa. While many of these vessels are used for hydrographic and geophysical surveys—utilizing multibeam, side-scan, and sub-bottom profiling payloads—some of HydroSurv’s most exciting work involves developing new end-to-end solutions.
Since 2021, HydroSurv has been pioneering a solution for seagrass monitoring, enabling zero-emission vessels to hydro-acoustically map up to three hectares of seagrass meadows per hour. This data is then processed using a machine learning toolchain, visualizing coverage extent, density, and canopy height through HydroSurv’s proprietary EasySurv cloud-based GIS system. In 2023, HydroSurv piloted this solution in a 400-hectare campaign, successfully demonstrating seasonal variations in seagrass coverage across several key sites.
Building on this foundation, HydroSurv is now delivering a similar pilot in water quality monitoring. Three harbors are being resurveyed weekly using small USVs. This approach combines wide spatial coverage with high temporal resolution to generate critical insights into environmental changes.
With a research-informed approach at its core, HydroSurv continuously evolves its technology to tackle complex marine data challenges, ensuring its solutions remain practical and scalable for long-term marine sustainability. By expanding the utility of USV technology into new applications, the company is scaling its impact and empowering customers with next-generation solutions that advance sustainable ocean stewardship.
To find out more, visit: www.hydro-surv.com
This feature appeared in environment coastal & offshore (eco) magazine’s 2025 spring edition The Blue Economy, to read more access the magazine here.
